Liverpool have parted ways with manager Arne Slot only one season after he delivered the Premier League title, according to multiple reports. the decision, described as reluctant by the club, follows a campaign that saw the Reds finish fifth with 20 losses, fan protests, and public criticism from key players.. andoni Iraola, recently departed from Bournemouth, is the leading candidate to take over.

20 defeats and a fifth-place finish:what went wrong for Slot?

According to the source report, Liverpool lost 20 matches across all competitions in the 2025-26 season, a staggering tally for a defending champion. The club finished fifth in the Premier League, only securing a Champions League spot on the final day. the collapse was especially jarring given the record-breaking £415 million transfer outlay last summer.

Fans revolted openly, with the source noting that supporters turned on Slot’s style of play. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's now-departed star, posted a social media message harkening back to the “heavy metal” attacking football under predecessor Jürgen Klopp — widely read as a swipe at Slot’s more cautious approach.

The £415 million question: why record spending didn't buy success

As the source details, Liverpool broke the British transfer record twice in the summer window: first for Florian Wirtz at £116.5 million, then for Alexander Isak at £125 million. But Isak spent large parts of the season injured, and Wirtz struggled to replicate his Bayer Leverkusen form. The massive investment yielded no silverware and only marginal Champions League qualification.

Further compounding the failure, Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals, losing to Paris Saint-Germain under Slot’s tenure. The record spending, per the report, was meant to build on Slot’s title win — instead it became a symbol of a misfiring rebuild.

Salah's social media swipe and the player revolt

The departure of Mohamed Salah, a club legend, was accompanied by his pointed social media remark about wanting “heavy metal” football again, as reported by the source. The comment was widely perceived as a direct criticism of Slot’s playing style. Salah’s exit, along with the poor results, created a toxic atmosphere that the club felt required a managerial change.

“He leaves with a Premier League title to his name and our deepest gratitude and appreciation,” Liverpool stated, according to the report. but the tone did not mask the severity of the fallout: a manager dismissed 12 months after winning England’s top division.

Andoni Iraola: the frontrunner with a Bournemouth pedigree but no Anfield test

Andoni Iraola, 43, is the leading contender to succeed Slot, according to the source. Iraola’s connection to Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes — who brought him to Bournemouth — gives him an edge. The Basque coach led Bournemouth to Europa League qualification with an attractive style, but has never managed a club of Liverpool’s stature, having previously worked at Larnaca, Mirandes, and Rayo Vallecano.

The report indicates Iraola has held talks with multiple clubs across Europe. His appointment would be a gamble: a manager proven in a mid-table context but unaccustomed to the pressures of a global giant with a £415 million transfer outlay and fan expectations shaped by Klopp’s dynasty.

What remains unknown is whether Liverpool considered other candidates. Xabi Alonso, long seen as the “dream successor” per the source, moved to Chelsea. The club’s statement said the process to appoint a new boss is underway, but no timeline has been given. The next manager will inherit a squad that just witnessed a title-winning coach sacked after one bad season — a daunting mandate to win now.